Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Function vs. Title

Day 3 - The wisdom of SpongeBob SquarePants.

Employee of the Month

In this episode SpongeBob is happily going along month after month (26 to be exact) getting the Employee of the Month award.  This if a funny award for several reasons.  The first is that SpongeBob is a very dedicated worker and really has no need of an award to make him give his best.  The second is that there really is no competition for the award each month because the only other employee, Squidward, is a negative slacker who only shows up each day because he wants the money.  However, this all changes one month when Squidward points out to SpongeBob that the award is really bogus and anyone could get this award - even Squidward.  Well, SpongeBob takes this as a challenge and a heated competition begins between the only two employees of the Krusty Krab.  Squidward changes his negative slacker ways and becomes a very dedicated employee for the sole purpose of showing SpongeBob that he is equally capable of earning the coveted Employee of the Month award.  Things get so out of hand between the two that eventually they are striving to be the first one to work the next day.  They both try to outdo each other to get there the earliest by sabotaging each other to wake up late.  Finally they both head off to work at the same exact time and race frantically to be the first employee at  the Krusty Krab that morning.   They both arrive at the same time, the exact time that Mr. Krabs opens the doors. They both rush in and begin working frantically at various tasks, but they do more harm than good in the process.  Then they start trying to make as many Krabby Patties as possible, until their frantic attempt to outdo each other causes the whole restaurant to explode.  Finally, with Krabby Patties falling from the sky they both turn to Mr. Krabs and earnestly ask him who the Employee of the Month is.

I like this episode because it shows us how desperate SpongeBob became to keep a title.  SpongeBob had become so comfortable being Employee of the Month that he just expected to get it month, after month, after month, after month . . . So when his title was challenged he just freaked out.  He couldn't handle not being Employee of the Month - that was his title.  That was his identity.  He changed from being a dedicated employee, naturally, to being a crazy lunatic of an employee that actually caused the destruction of the very thing he loved - his beloved Krusty Krab.  So instead of just doing what he usually did -be an awesome and overly dedicated employee - he completely blew it.

What can I say?  This one gets all of us at some time in our life.  We find something that we are really good at and do well naturally - being a mom, a secretary, a musician, an employee, you fill in the blank.  We want to do it.  We enjoy doing it.  We give our all to do it well because we love to.  At some point we switch this from a function of what we do well to a title of who we are.  I am a good mom.  I am an awesome secretary.  I am a talented musician.  It becomes our identity (our title) rather than just a function.  That's when it becomes tricky.  All of a sudden it feels more like a competition.  Is that woman a better mom than I am?  Is that girl a better secretary?  Is that musician more talented?  It touches a nerve and we react - sometimes frantically - to keep our title.  Well, if I just do this and this and this then I will be the better mom, secretary, musician.  We become insecure in who we are.  The reality is that we haven't changed, just our perspective has.  We actually become worse at what we do, rather than better.  It is no longer natural and easy and something we want to do, but it becomes a hard task and we can't relax and enjoy it anymore (which is really what makes us good at it.)  Eventually, if we can keep up the pace we get so driven in our attempts to be the best mom, secretary, musician or employee that we actually become bad at it.  That's when we've blown it.  We can't make a mistake.  We can't relax.  We can't loose our title - it feels like it will kill us if we do.  We're stuck.  So we need to go back to square one - remember why we are doing what we do.  Why are you a mom - so you can get the "Best Mom Ever" award - or just because you simply love being a mom.  Why are you a secretary - so everyone will kiss your feet when they walk into the office - or just because you enjoy it and taking care of all the details just comes naturally to you.  Why are you a musician - so everyone will sing your praises - or just because you feel alive when you play and sing?  I've learned this the hard way - more than once.   I've learned not to get trapped in the desire for a title.  I've learned to be good at what I do, just because I enjoy it.  That is the only way that we can truly be the best at what we do - by doing it naturally well.

If you are feeling stressed at having to be the best at something in your life - you might want to check out why.  If it something that you used to truly enjoy, then maybe you have made it your title, instead of simply a function that you are good at.  Go back to square one and just relax.  Learn how to simply enjoy it.  It may surprise you how easy it is for you to be good at it without even trying!

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